After she saves him from a magical assassination attempt, he reluctantly agrees to bring her back to London and use his influence to help her learn magic … and find a husband, of course. It’s not accompanied by violence or used for shock value, but it is present.ĭuring a trip to investigate the loss of magic, Zacharias meets Prunella Gentleman, an orphan with a mysterious past, a lot of magical talent, and absolutely no moral scruples whatsoever. Note: Please be aware that there is period-typical racist language used to refer to both his and other characters’ ethnicity, as well as descriptions of racist behavior.

This has gone over just as well as you would expect it to in White Regency society. (Spoiler: We are not Team Sir Stephen in this house.) When Sir Stephen died, Zacharias was the only one able to use his staff, and therefore took over his job. The previous Sorcerer Royal, Sir Stephen Wythe, bought him as a slave and taught him magic as a sort of social experiment. First of all, he’s not of aristocratic birth. Technically, Zacharias is the leader of all British magicians, but in practice his position is extremely tenuous. The poor sucker who’s supposed to clean up all these messes is Zacharias Wythe, the new Sorcerer Royal. Meanwhile, the small but strategically important island nation of Janda Baik wants the Society’s help crushing an uprising of vampire women led by the witch Mak Genggang.Īnd on top of that, the London Season is about to start. They’re also reeling from the sudden and mysterious death of their leader, the Sorcerer Royal. The Royal Society of Unnatural Philosophers (AKA thaumaturges, AKA upper-class White dudes with magic) is scrambling to find out what’s going on and keep the loss of their magic a secret.

Without access to Fairy, England’s magic is fading, fast. However, power-hungry British magicians have exploited and kidnapped so many familiars that the Queen of Fairyland sealed the border against them. In addition to using their own magic, humans can form bonds with fae creatures known as ‘familiars’ to become powerful sorcerers. The book is set in an alternate England that draws magic from its border with Fairyland. (Yes, I know that’s more than two halves.

It’s half Regency romance, half political intrigue, and half biting commentary on British colonialism.

Sorcerer to the Crown by Zen Cho is the first book in a series of the same name. Genre: Historical: European, Romance, Science Fiction/FantasyĪrchetype: Diverse Protagonists, Fae, Witch/Wizardĭo you ever read a Georgette Heyer novel and think, “Man, that was great but I wish it had magic and also, like, maybe some diversity in the main characters”? If so, do I have a book for you!

Sorcerer to the crown